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The next time your MIL starts hinting about how she never sees that precious son of hers and what a waste your extra bedroom is, hand that dear boy a copy of this article. Your get-out-of-jail-free card? A new study which found that women living with their husbands and a set of parents (most often their in-laws) were three times more likely to have a heart attack than women living with only their spouse.

The study, published in the medical journal Heart, analyzed 91,000 Japanese men and women for more than 10 years. While having children in the home was also found to slightly increase women's risk of heart disease, their male counterparts showed no significant health effects from either domestic arrangement. Figures.

So what accounts for this in-law epidemic? Citing a similar Swedish study linking marital stress and female heart disease, experts suggest that the pressures of such a living arrangement can increase stress, which in turn brings a heightened risk of cardiovascular disease.

Click here to read more about this health travesty.

Of course, it doesn't take a medical degree to draw a connection between extreme stress and close contact with in-laws. The nagging, the emotional blackmail, the hovering -- can't you feel your chest tightening just thinking about it?


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And if your life isn't at risk, surely someone's is. Think about it. Your husband taking his mom's side in an argument. His dad commenting for the millionth time on your "birthing hips." Mommy dearest pointedly asking if you've ever considered applying for "The Biggest Loser." The whole thing has murder/suicide written all over it.

But don't take our word for it. Just ask 28-year-old Bridget, who has what she considers an "overbearing" mother-in-law. Says Bridget, "I think I would have extreme health problems if my in-laws moved in. Namely, I would kill myself." Indeed, some harried young wives living with monsters-in-law may see a cardiac event as a welcome escape.

Silver Lining
But there are some real benefits to keeping the coots close. Women living with a spouse and parents were less likely to smoke or drink heavily (now there's a surprise), and having in-laws around to help with children is thought to reduce some stress. Additionally, despite the increased health risk, these women were actually no more likely to die of a heart attack than women living with a spouse alone. Guess that old battle-axe is pretty good at dialing 911 -- or at least pitching in when a health crisis arises.

But don't tell the hubby that. Just clasp your chest and show him the study. With any luck, you just might be able to bail out of his folks' annual Christmas gathering/dysfunction function, too. For health reasons, of course.

Tell us: Is your life one endless episode of "Everybody Loves Raymond," or do you adore your in-laws? Would you consider living with them?


Mismatched Celebrity Moms and Daughters*

    Alexis & Martha Stewart: On her TV show Whatever, Martha, wild child Alexis pokes fun at old episodes of her mother's show. Wonder how uptight homemaker extraordinaire Martha is really taking that.

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    Sharon & Kelly Osbourne: A no-BS businesswoman, Sharon has always come off as way more polished than her punky-but-shy daughter.

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    Demi Moore & Tallulah, Rumer and Scout Willis: Though her three girls have caught the acting bug, they're all much more of the tomboy variety than their couture-loving mom.

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    Courtney Love & Frances Bean Cobain: Frances has talked in interviews about being into a different music scene than both her parents', and says she's more girlie than her grunged-out mom. Plus, as far as we know, no teen drug issues.

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    Jaid & Drew Barrymore: Drew's mom supposedly couldn't hack it in Hollywood, letting Drew use drugs and alcohol from a young age. We find it hard to believe that Drew, with her uber-sunny personality, would let the same happen to her own daughter.

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    Cher & Chastity Bono: Cher is over-the-top with her fashion, her larger than life personality and her huge stage persona. In contrast, her lesbian daughter with famous ex Sonny Bono is a low-key writer and LGBT activist.

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    Jayne Mansfield & Mariska Hargitay: The Playboy pinup was a blonde bombshell who starred in fluffy melodramas before her untimely death. Her daughter is also an actress, but has found career longevity playing SVU cop Olivia Benson. And she did it wearing pants.

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    Blythe Danner & Gwyneth Paltow: They're both actresses, classy and blonde. But Gwyn married a rock star, making us think she's a little more boho than her straightlaced mom.

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    Connie & Leighton Meester: US Weekly recently broke news that the always put together Meester was born to her mother in jail. Because she was smuggling pot into the U.S. Normal, yes?

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    Janet Leigh & Jamie Lee Curtis: Janet started out poor while Jamie was born into the fame her mother earned. "She was green as you can be. I'm about as black as you can be. I'm jaded and time tested and all the things that my mother wasn't," Jamie Lee has said.

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